Unmatched, cannot be beet.
My dear friend Halley probably knows 10,000 beet puns and I will leave the puns to her and the experts. I never thought I would see the day where I would be making a strong case for beets. Beets are almost a specialty when it comes to restaurant kitchens. They’re only around for a season then poof see you next year, maybe. Beets are quite retro. Like fashion, beets have this unique ability to be in one moment and out the next. It’s fun to think about what to do with the beet greens, or the dirty knobs before gently boiling or roasting. The obvious terror quickly reminds you of why beets kinda suck, the stain. The bright side (no pun intended) if you can overlook that one detail, there is pinkish/purplish hued world with your name all over it.
“Earthy sweetness” is how I would describe Natalie Merchant’s new album. The phrase “earthy sweetness” is commonly associated with beets. Let’s abandon the culture of combining two words that don’t belong together and trying to jam them into a comprehensible statement. Beets deserve your respect. Imagine being tucked away underground never to see the light of day until your death when you’re plucked from the abyss then inappropriately intellectualized as “earthy sweetness.” The words sound passive aggressive in nature. I would give a eulogy to someone I didn’t like by saying, “she was earthy, but sweet.” Honestly, what did beets do to y’all? It’s time we learn a broader vocabulary for the mythical botany that is root vegetables.
Beets can suffer in harsh conditions and yet they come out on the other side like candy. The deep crimson tones remind you of natures possibilities and what makes being alive so wonderful. Beets are a multipurpose vegetable. The greens offer another opportunity at nourishment that a carrot wishes it could. Say what you want, carrot greens are just never really THAT appetizing. The beet greens are in fact delicious, if boiled in salted water and then cooked in an aromatic froth of olive oil, slivered garlic and chili. If you boil beets it’s quite obvious you hate yourself. Seriously, please tenderly roast a beet creating a little envelope where steam can get trapped. Think about the beets pores being opened and the aromatics they could get coupled with. Beets love thyme, garlic and black pepper so give them what they want.
I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t always loved beets. Say hello to a beet like you’ve never met before. I’ll share this one story how I went on a first date with a guy twice and he didn’t remember me from the first date, but I sure as hell remembered him. In fact, he said towards the end of the date, “you look so familiar,” and like a total monster I said, “we’ve met before.” The shared car ride afterwards was silent and he blocked me, oh well. I have not done anything heinous like that since, but I have said my salutations to beets again and let me just say, they’re marvelous. Below you will find a recipe sure as shit to reconsider beets in your life. I’ve paired beets with their classic counterpart, goat cheese. In an effort to not use nuts in every recipe I create, this one has crispy farro, ta dah! I’m wondering what vegetables give you hell that you’d like to freshly see through rose colored glasses?
Beet, Goat Cheese and Crispy Farro Salad
Serves 2
2 bunches beets, small-medium, trimmed of their tops and washed
1/2 cup, plus 2T extra virgin olive oil
6oz chèvre, room temperature
zest of half a lemon, plus juice from half a lemon
50g farro, boiled in salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender, set aside drained
zest of one orange, plus juice from half an orange
1T white balsamic, or champagne/white wine vinegar
2T high quality extra virgin olive oil
1 small bunch of mint, washed and picked
2 heads of endive, pink or white, ends removed, leaves separated
kosher salt, flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Using a large sheet of parchment paper, add beets to the base of the parchment gathering them towards the center. Season with 2T extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Intentionally create a packet to seal in the beets so that steam may collect. Gather the parchment upwards and roll it onto itself sealing towards the beets and finish with folding in the sides. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until slightly tender to the touch. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before peeling of the skin and slicing into quartered pieces.
In a large bowl, add chèvre lemon zest and juice with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, using a whisk or rubber spatula, incorporate the seasoning into the goat cheese attempting to achieve a rather smooth consistency. Once the goat cheese looks creamy and luscious, set aside at room temp.
In a large skillet heated over medium heat, add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. Take the cooked, drained farro and add to the hot oil. Please note, the farro should be noticeably dry to avoid oil splatter. Cook for 5-10 minutes testing a grain of farro to see how crispy it is. There should be a distinct crunch and no chewy texture. Remove from the oil and drain into a small bowl lined with paper towel, season with kosher salt.
Make the citronette by combining orange zest and juice with white vinegar a pinch of kosher salt, black pepper and high quality extra olive. Gently stir together with a spoon, no need to emulsify.
Take half of the dressing and add to bowl with all the beets, flaky salt and black pepper. Coat and dress the beets giving them a tumble. Plate the goat cheese at the base of the dish by scooping or spreading. Assemble the dressed beets around and on top of the goat cheese. Sprinkle the mint pieces around the beets, tearing and scattering evenly. Over the surface of the whole salad, disperse the crispy farro pieces considering you want some crispy bits in each bite. Beautifully arrange the endive pieces cup side up to collect the remaining citronette. Stir the citronette and dress the endive allowing the dressing to collect in the cups. Carefully season the whole salad with flakey salt and some more freshly ground black pepper. Don’t forget to photograph the salad. Camera eats first.